Exhibition Introduction
The fields of architecture and interior design are known for being largely dominated by cisgender-heterosexual white males (architecture more so than interior design). In this online exhibition, I plan on highlighting some key queer figures in these fields and their experiences and accomplishments. Through these architect and designer profiles, I will highlight some non-heteronormative ways of architecture, interior design, and even industrial design. This exhibition will mainly focus on exploring queer spaces and structures that are related to queerness in either their purpose, design, or community.
Many different design factors affect the associated queerness and gender of a space. Key factors include relationships, use, access, and materiality. The materiality of spaces through their interior and exterior can also be engendered. This discourse of queer and social relationships is tied to spatial relationships. This can be seen in public spaces such as bathrooms and the shift to all gender bathrooms in few, progressive settings. The construction of space also has a lot to do with how and/or people can access it. This again lends back to the idea of creating spaces that are safe and inclusive to people of all ages, genders, sexualities, and more.
I'm looking at a variety of queer spaces in this exhibition including community centers that serve everyone from LGBT youth to the elderly. I'm also looking at the topic of gay villages and various gay villages in America and how they are a queer space because they are home to queer communities. Queer bars and nightclubs are another obvious intersection of space and sexuality and gender that are important to LGBT culture and history. On the flip side of that, I'm looking at sober queer spots that were designed as an alternative to queer bars for the people who need spaces like that. I also chose to look at a few archives as they are spaces with the duty of preserving LGBT history which is often erased in mainstream recollection of history. These spaces all have unique purposes and design but they are brought together by the LGBT community they serve. They serve the queer community that is often overlooked by heteronormative spaces and that is one of the key reasons these queer spaces matter.
In my online exhibition website, I have mocked up the format of a website for an architecture or interior design firm. I named the firm Queer Space Studios. I highlighted my queer architects/interior designers as partners at this firm. The queer spaces that I chose to analyze the history and purpose of are all listed as "projects" done by the firm. My website is intended to be informative and showcase these spaces, most of which I didn't know about prior to my research. Some key books that helped me were "Stud: Architectures of Masculinity" edited by Joel Sanders and "Designing for Diversity" by Kathryn H. Anthony. I also found that many of the organizations and places I researched had lots of information available to the public about their history, services, and more.
Many different design factors affect the associated queerness and gender of a space. Key factors include relationships, use, access, and materiality. The materiality of spaces through their interior and exterior can also be engendered. This discourse of queer and social relationships is tied to spatial relationships. This can be seen in public spaces such as bathrooms and the shift to all gender bathrooms in few, progressive settings. The construction of space also has a lot to do with how and/or people can access it. This again lends back to the idea of creating spaces that are safe and inclusive to people of all ages, genders, sexualities, and more.
I'm looking at a variety of queer spaces in this exhibition including community centers that serve everyone from LGBT youth to the elderly. I'm also looking at the topic of gay villages and various gay villages in America and how they are a queer space because they are home to queer communities. Queer bars and nightclubs are another obvious intersection of space and sexuality and gender that are important to LGBT culture and history. On the flip side of that, I'm looking at sober queer spots that were designed as an alternative to queer bars for the people who need spaces like that. I also chose to look at a few archives as they are spaces with the duty of preserving LGBT history which is often erased in mainstream recollection of history. These spaces all have unique purposes and design but they are brought together by the LGBT community they serve. They serve the queer community that is often overlooked by heteronormative spaces and that is one of the key reasons these queer spaces matter.
In my online exhibition website, I have mocked up the format of a website for an architecture or interior design firm. I named the firm Queer Space Studios. I highlighted my queer architects/interior designers as partners at this firm. The queer spaces that I chose to analyze the history and purpose of are all listed as "projects" done by the firm. My website is intended to be informative and showcase these spaces, most of which I didn't know about prior to my research. Some key books that helped me were "Stud: Architectures of Masculinity" edited by Joel Sanders and "Designing for Diversity" by Kathryn H. Anthony. I also found that many of the organizations and places I researched had lots of information available to the public about their history, services, and more.
Comments
Post a Comment